WESTVILLE — If you happened to be driving along River Drive Saturday, and saw someone solemnly drop carnations into the water, know that it was in memory of Stephanie Monn, who disappeared and was subsequently murdered in 1993 at the age of 7.

The sign, which sports blue and white strobe lights that can be switched on by emergency responders at a moment’s notice, was the brainchild of Joseph Nicholas, who worked for 26 years training K-9 officers for the state department of corrections, and missing persons investigations, before retiring in 2010.

He struggled to hold back his emotions at seeing two years of work come to fruition.

“Everything’s starting to come together,” said Nicholas, a Pittsgrove resident. “You have something that’s bothering you, and you work for the past two years to do something like this, it’s overwhelming.

On Saturday, October 13, 2012, Westville installed its own Amber Alert system with lights that will alert the public that someone is missing. (Staff Photo by Joe Warner/South Jersey Times)

“I’m starting to get calls for other towns — and other states — that want to set up something like this. I don’t ever want it to stop expanding, but I wanted it to start in Westville, because of Stephanie and because this is the gateway to South Jersey.”

National Park is one of those towns interested in picking up the project, according to Susan Shomo, a Westville resident who has spearheaded the Westville Light project, securing fundraising dollars and working with police and council officials.

The light at borough hall cost $2,500, paid for by donations, Shomo said, adding she is still accepting donations for a proposed second Westville light and the possible addition in National Park. It was constructed by Boyle Tool & Die Co., in Thorofare, with the lights supplied by Atlas Flasher, in East Greenwich.

Even if Nicholas’ dream comes true, and one day, years from now, there is a light of the missing in every town across the country, everyone in attendance at the ceremony Saturday was in agreement, hoping they never have to actually use it.

“I’m an electrician by trade, so I know a bit about lights, and I hope this is a light that is never lit in Westville,” Gloucester County Freeholder Joe Chilla. “I hope it is something that continues to grow in the county, and I hope it is never lit anywhere, but if it is, people will notice it.”

Nicholas presented his plan for the signs to the Westville council in May, when it was promptly given the green light to proceed.

According to the former K-9 trainer, the light will allow people in the immediate area know that someone is missing.

“Some people might have some key information about someone they just learned was missing, and they can report that to the police,” said Nicholas. “This takes away from no other system, but it’s a local system, your system.